Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin

Nathan Joel Panning

Cesar Enrique Zarak

E Bruce Colby

Paul Andrew Mayni

Metodi Lubenov Ikonomov

Ronald Cress

Juan-Pablo Gallego

Michael Widmyer

James F Garrett

Gildas De-Staercke

Methods and apparatus for demolding a polymeric material from a mold are disclosed, the methods comprising the steps of placing a material within a mold, closing the mold, molding the material located within the mold, and opening the mold. The mold includes a demolding tool having a material-engaging portion that is in fluid communication with the mold portion, the demolding tool being reversibly disengagable from the first mold member. The demolding tool is disengagable from a resting position within the first mold member to translate from the first mold member the molded polymeric material associated with the material-engaging portion, thereby separating a portion of the molded polymeric material from the mold cavity. In particular embodiments, the material-engaging portion is a cavity. In other embodiments, the material-engaging portion is associated with one or more longitudinal members extending across a portion of the first mold member.

Tread band demolding tool

A method for preparing a portion of a tire for repair includes the steps of providing a template having a pair of guide edges, securing the template to an interior surface of the tire, providing a tool for forming a discontinuity in the interior surface of the tire, forming a discontinuity in the interior surface of the tire, with the tool, along the guide edges of the template, and removing the template from the tire.

Flexible guide for tire repair

The invention includes methods and apparatus for preparing a tire surface for receiving a tire patch. Such methods include selecting a desired depth marking template for use in forming one or more depth marking apertures within a tire surface and within a desired tire patch application area, each of the one or more depth marking apertures having a desired depth corresponding to a desired depth of the patch receiving area, the template having one or more openings extending through a thickness of the template corresponding to the one or more marking apertures to be formed. The methods further include forming one or more depth marking apertures within the tread by inserting a material removal member of a power tool into each of the one or more openings in the template, the power tool removing tire material to the desired depth for each aperture.

Depth marking tool for tire repair

Particular embodiments of the present invention include tire treads that include a tread body having a length, a width, and thickness, the thickness being bounded by an outer surface and an underside surface. Such treads may also include a void positioned within the thickness of the tread body. Such treads may further include one or more members extending between the void and the tread underside surface. Other embodiments of the present invention include a tire having such treads, as well as molds for forming such treads.

Features for maintaining voids within a tire tread

A retread tire and methods for its manufacture, the retread tire having a precured tread band bonded to a prepared bonding surface of a base portion of the tire. The precured tread band includes a back face bonded to the prepared bonding surface of the base portion of the tire and a tread groove bottom portion that extends below the back face of the tread band. The tread groove bottom portion may optionally include a void portion of the tread groove and may include the bottom wall of the tread groove and/or just the side walls of the bottom portion of the tread groove. Also included may be a base groove formed in the base portion of the tire and open to the prepared bonding surface of the tire, wherein the tread groove bottom of the tread groove is embedded within the base groove.

Retread tire having tread band matched to base tread

The present inventions includes methods and apparatus for preparing a portion of a tire for repair, the methods having steps that include forming an edge along an opening within the tire, the edge extending between an interior and an exterior surface of the tire and including one or more tire reinforcement endings, the edge being formed to include an alternating arrangement of tire reinforcement endings. Particular embodiments of the present invention includes methods of preparing a portion of a tire for repair, the method having steps that include forming an edge within an opening of a tire, said edge extending between an interior and exterior tire surface and including one or more reinforcement endings of the tire; and, applying a wrap about the edge to substantially cover the one or more tire reinforcement endings.

Damaged reinforcement ending preparation for tire repairs

A mold () for a tread layer () having tread-forming side and sole-forming side, the sole-forming side having a plurality of mold elements () extending therefrom toward the tread-forming side. Either the mold elements () or the sole-forming side of the mold is configured to create a tread layer () having a recessed tread element such as an incision, lateral groove, longitudinal groove or other void on the sole side of the tread layer that enables the edges of the recessed tread element to obtain full coverage when subjected to an abrasion process.

Method of retreading a tire

The present invention relates to a method of retreading a tire and a retread tire () made by this method. The method comprises the steps of providing a tread layer () having a tread side () and a sole side () wherein the surface of the sole side () includes a plurality of tread elements () such as sipes and/or grooves or other void. Each tread element () has a first edge () and a second edge () at the surface of the sole side () of the tread layer (). At least one of the first edge () and second edge () is formed to have a break edge () such as a rounded edge or a chamfered edge of 0.4 mm or more. The break edge () removes the sharp corner and provides increased endurance for the retreaded tire ().

Method for improved retread endurance

A tread band having a primary groove opening onto a front face of the tread band, a secondary feature molded into the tread band, and a wear indicator molded into a section of an undertread portion of the tread band. The wear indicator is useful for providing an end-of-useable tread indication when the front face of the tread band wears even with a top portion of the wear indicator. Furthermore, the secondary feature may be characterized as opening onto a back face of the tread band, a side face of the tread band or combinations thereof. The section of the undertread portion may extend less than about 4 mm or less than about 3 mm from the back face of the tread band. In other embodiments, the section of the undertread portion may extend less than about 1.5 mm from the back face of the tread band.

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Nathan Joel Panning